Gun safe

Abstract

A gun safe is configured to be mounted underneath a portion of an item of furniture and to be deployable from a storage position underneath the portion of the item of furniture into a readily-accessible position adjacent the item of furniture. The gun safe includes a lockable container sized to receive a weapon therein and an articulating mount configured to secure the lockable container underneath the portion of the item of furniture in the storage position. The articulating mount includes a fixed element configured to be fixed underneath the portion of the item of furniture and an articulating element attached between the fixed element and the lockable container, the articulating element being configured to facilitate movement of the lockable container from the storage position outward and upward to a deployed position adjacent the item of furniture.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A gun safe configured to be mounted underneath a portion of an item of furniture and to be deployable from a storage position underneath the portion of the item of furniture into a readily-accessible position adjacent the item of furniture comprising:
 a lockable container sized to receive a weapon therein; and 
 an articulating mount configured to secure the lockable container underneath the portion of the item of furniture in the storage position, the articulating mount comprising:
 a fixed element configured to be fixed underneath the portion of the item of furniture; and 
 an articulating element attached between the fixed element and the lockable container, the articulating element being configured to facilitate movement of the lockable container from the storage position outward and upward to a deployed position adjacent the item of furniture and comprising:
 a lateral displacement element facilitating approximately linear outward movement of the lockable container until the lockable container is substantially adjacent the item of furniture; and 
 a vertical displacement element facilitating substantially upward movement of the lockable container to an elevated position adjacent the item of furniture. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. A gun safe as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lateral displacement element comprises a component selected from the group consisting of:
 a ball bearing glide; 
 wheels and guides; and 
 a multi-bar linkage. 
 
     
     
       3. A gun safe as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the vertical displacement element comprises an element configured to secure the lockable container in the elevated position and further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of:
 a ball bearing glide; 
 wheels and guides; and 
 a multi-bar linkage. 
 
     
     
       4. A gun safe as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the fixed element is configured to rest on or attach to a surface underlying the item of furniture. 
     
     
       5. A gun safe as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the fixed element comprises a substantially inverted-U-shaped support element with a horizontal arm and two vertical arms connected to and descending from the horizontal arm, to which vertical arms the articulating element is attached. 
     
     
       6. A gun safe as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the vertical arms are adjustable in length to permit end-user adjustment of a vertical position of the lockable container in the storage position. 
     
     
       7. A gun safe as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the item of furniture is a bed comprising a bed frame and slats supporting a mattress, and wherein the horizontal arm of the support element is configured to rest on the slats of the bed under the mattress. 
     
     
       8. A gun safe as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lateral displacement element is configured to provide linear displacement of the lockable container between the storage position and a low position adjacent the item of furniture. 
     
     
       9. A gun safe as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the fixed element comprises a closed loop comprising two spaced-apart horizontal arms adapted to contact the item of furniture, with U-shaped vertical arms connected to, descending from, and extending between the respective horizontal arms, the articulating element being attached to the U-shaped vertical arms. 
     
     
       10. A gun safe as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the vertical displacement element is configured to permit a gravitational force to bias the lockable container to the low position. 
     
     
       11. A gun safe as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising a reversible latching mechanism to latch the lockable container in the elevated position. 
     
     
       12. A gun safe as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lockable container is sized to accommodate a firearm. 
     
     
       13. A gun safe as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lockable container comprises a lid such that the lockable container is adapted to move between the storage position and the readily-accessible position while remaining in a locked state preventing access to contents of the lockable container in the absence of means to open the lockable container. 
     
     
       14. A gun safe as recited in  claim 1 , wherein when the lockable container is in the storage position, a major portion of the lockable container is substantially hidden from view by the item of furniture. 
     
     
       15. A gun safe configured to be mounted underneath a portion of an item of furniture and to be deployable from a storage position underneath the portion of the item of furniture into a readily-accessible position adjacent the item of furniture and outward and upward from the storage position, the gun safe comprising:
 a lockable container sized to receive a weapon therein; 
 a fixed element configured to be fixed underneath the portion of the item of furniture; and 
 an articulating mount attached between the lockable container and the fixed element and configured to secure the lockable container underneath the portion of the item of furniture in the storage position, the articulating mount comprising:
 a lateral displacement element attached to the fixed element and configured to provide substantially linear horizontal movement of the lockable container; and 
 a vertical displacement element attached between the lateral displacement element and the lockable container and configured to provide substantially upward vertical motion of the lockable container. 
 
 
     
     
       16. A gun safe as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the vertical displacement element comprises a bias mechanism to offset a downward gravitational force experienced by the lockable container. 
     
     
       17. A gun safe as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising a reversible latching mechanism to latch the lockable container in the elevated position. 
     
     
       18. A gun safe as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the lateral displacement element comprises a mechanism selected from the group of:
 a glide; 
 wheels and guides; and 
 a multi-bar linkage. 
 
     
     
       19. A gun safe as recited in  claim 15 , wherein lockable container comprises a lock selected from the group of:
 a mechanical lock; and 
 an electronic lock. 
 
     
     
       20. A gun safe as recited in  claim 15 , wherein when the lockable container is in the storage position, a major portion of the lockable container is substantially hidden from view by the item of furniture.